3.31.2014

We had the most wonderful weekend in my hometown! One of my high school girlfriends got married, so we made the long trip down to the Gulf Coast for a weekend of festivities.

We started the weekend off with a big ole crawfish and shrimp dinner at my parents {possibly my husbands "last thing before I die" type meal, ha} and enjoyed catching up with them on Thursday. Friday we made the rest of the trip over to Mobile and met my BF Ale, my brother Roberto, and his fam for early drinks and apps. This was the scene at Laps...yes, kids at the bar. Oops!

That lil girl loves her Uncle Jesse!

The rehearsal dinner was super neat, outdoor at a great venue right on Mobile Bay. So perfect.

Saturday we had the perfect kind of Mobile day. We stayed the night with my brother, so we enjoyed a traditional Mexican breakfast {recipe to come} courtesy of cousin Roy, and lounging with the kiddies that morning. Next, we ventured over to Springhill College to explore and get in a little exercise. Such a beautiful lil campus and the perfect weather for a spring run.

After our run, we decided on a lil Dew Drop Inn action to refuel for the evening.

I love that hotdogs {fully loaded} are still less than $3. One of my favorite childhood memories... pink Winnie's and tunes on the jukebox.

The wedding that evening was just perfect. Lindsay was beautiful and I have never seen her so happy!

.... And we danced the night away!

I love getting the chance to hang out with my fam and catch up with old friends. It's great to just pick right up where we left off. Wishing you the best, Lindsay B! I love you so much!!!

Today the hubs and I are off to 30A for a lil relaxation and catching up on work and sleep.

3.21.2014

The first Five on Friday of Spring! It's supposed to be a glorious day here in the Valley and I can't wait for an excuse to soak up the spring air. I am excited for Five on Friday - here are a few of my favorite things this week - a fresh new pallet for springtime!{one} Strappy Wedges.

This may be my new favorite sandals for the season. I can't until they arrive - they are so cute!

Tis the season for the dance - the basketball dance that is - and I love how each year Garden & Gun teams up to make a really fun bracket for their readers to play along. This year is the battle of Southern Towns - sorry, ATL, only small towns for this one. It's fun to play along and get in the bracket spirit!

Hope everyone has a great weekend! We are volunteering with Habitat tomorrow to help with a new local development in town - should be lots of fun! Otherwise... lots of relaxing and packing for our big trip next week. More details to come!

3.20.2014

Who is ready for Easter baskets, wildflowers, longer days, warmer weather, and happy hour on the patio? This gal most certainly is! I am already dreaming of a Mojito on the Veranda {or side patio}. To start the season off right, I have some free Spring printables for you.

Today, there are a lot of celebations going on all over the country, but this one is my favorite - Rita's Italian Ice gives away a free ice to each and every customer. Since 1992, Rita's all over the country have been giving away Italian Ice to celerbate the first tastes of spring! Find a location near you and stop by for a tasty treat to get your spring started off on the right foot.Don't forget to #ritasfirstdayofspring to be entered to win lots of fun prizes!

3.19.2014

With Easter only one month away {yippee}, I thought I would start searching for the little ones goodie baskets early this year. One Kings Lane has a great sale this week on some fun Easter gifts for the little ones. Here are some of my favorites:

The tale of Peter Rabbit, $14

Bunny Bin, $42

Wooden PushToys, $38

Teepee, $125

Wooden Family kit, $22

Tractor Ride-on, $115

Wooden Match Sticks, $12

Lots of great books, wooden toys, and traditional Easter goodies, like bunnies and baskets. Hope you can find something at onekingslane.com for your little ones.

3.18.2014

I love homemade granola! It's sorta like chili, just throw in what you have and call it a day... So easy! Unfortunatly, I don't make it nearly enough. Since we have a nice rainy Sunday evening, I got lots of projects and cooking done. This is what I threw together for granola:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking dish with the silpat mat or parchment paper.

Heat the butter, maple syrup, and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat until just warmed and the oil has become a liquid. Set aside.

Combine the oatmeal, chopped pecans, coconut, salt, and brown sugar together in a large bowl. Mix until well combined. Add the maple syrup mixture to the granola mixture and mix well until evenly coated.

Spread out evenly on the baking sheet. Place into the oven and bake, stirring every 10 minutes, for 30-40 minutes, or until it's golden brown and crispy.

Cool completely on the baking sheet before adding the dried cherries. Pour the homemade granola into an airtight container. Enjoy!

3.17.2014

Happy St. Patricks Day Friends!! I hope everyone remembered their green today. We got a nice little dusting of snow this morning... Which makes everyone's green much more cheery!

It was a fun lil weekend at home for us, with a rainy Sunday that was full of crafting, cooking and House of Cards. You guys, we finished the whole first season in just one weekend. And we really weren't home all that much. Ha. We came home both Friday and Saturday night and watched a show... Which never happens in this house, but it was just too good. Anyways, if you haven't started it, you'll love it, shoot for a rainy day and you're set!

Otherwise, we had a fun lil weekend! Saturday was beautiful, we're talking 70's folks, so after a morning filled with chores, we got out for a nice long run and headed to our local brewery for some early St.Patty's Day fun!

Our last bag of zapps for the season was a nice addition to the cold brews at DB.

Saturday night we had a baby shower for this pretty lady in the middle!

Baby J.Finn will be here soon!! We can't wait to meet him.

And Sunday... We made it to early mass, ran some errands, and got some house projects and cooking for the week done.

Also wanted to share some of my St. Patty's decor at the Heezy...

And Sunday supper was a traditional Irish Feast! Corned Beef and Cabbage!

I'll be honest, this is the very first time I've ever had corned beef and it was delicious! Such a treat!

We finally bit the bullet and watched the first episode of House of Cards last night, and y'all - I'm hooked! I can't wait to see what happens next. What a good show.

{five} Alexandra Grace.

By far the best highlight of my week...Allie Grace arrived on Sunday and she is just the sweetest lil thing. I can not wait to hold her in my arms... hurry up May! So happy for you mommy & daddy!

We have a nice relaxing weekend at home - a baby shower, St. Patty's celebrations, and maybe some more house cleaning/moving! There is also a Maple Festival in Augusta County this weekend... we may have to make a trip out to see the festivities.

3.13.2014

Today, I'm on the hunt for the perfect patio/porch for our new place. We love being outside, so our new deck is going to be a hot spot once we make our big move across town. We could make due with some of the outdoor furniture we have, but I since we spend so much time outside, I'd like to be sure it has a fresh new look that fits us, instead of what is there now.

Here are some ideas... my biggest decision is going to be furniture and what color {if any} we paint the door. We have a gray house with {soon to be} black accents. What would you go for?

I'm loving the yellow and green... but wondering what it will be like in the winter. Will it fit? Is it too much? What's your take on a fun colored door?

About Pete

Hi! I'm Tracy, a Gulf Coast gal living in a small town in Virginia over 800 miles away from what I call home - the deep south - a true southerner at heart, I'm a catholic girl with a good bit of cajun in my blood. I love all things colorful and crafty... including good eats, sweet treats, and searching for the perfect glass of vino. I love to keep busy - and thus, the reason for a blog. Stay a while and enjoy a little slice of my simple, sweet life.